We are launching The History of Cinema in Ukraine programme with a screening of Self-Seeker / Shkurnyk (1929), directed by Mykola Shpykovskyi—an adventure road movie that was once banned by the Soviet authorities.
About the Film
Self-Seeker is set during the Civil War in Ukraine. Its protagonist, Apollon Shmyhuiev, is a “neutral everyman” indifferent to any ideology. In pursuit of personal gain, he switches from one side of the conflict to another, constantly adapting to changing circumstances. His unexpected companion on this journey across Ukraine is a camel.
The film’s satirical take on the Civil War and Soviet reality led to its ban. It disappeared from public view for decades, and the search for it was prompted by a favourable review written by Osip Mandelstam. The only known copy was eventually found in the State Film Fund of Russia.
The screening is part of The History of Cinema in Ukraine programme, curated by Daria Badior and Sofia Doroshenko.
Country: Ukrainian SSR
Studio: Kyiv VUFKU Film Factory
Screening Details
Date: 9 September | 18:30
Running time: 79 minutes
Language: Silent film with Ukrainian intertitles
Jam Factory Art Center
124 Bohdana Khmelnytskoho Street, Lviv
Auditorium
Learn more about the art centre at jamfactory.ua.